Resilient wheel



G. E. HOARD.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-10.1920.

1,402,069. Patented. Jan. 3,19 2.

431% rye E. fiawrwg Mrs!) STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. BOARD, OF WASHDNTGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

nnsmmur Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 3, 1922.

Application filed January 10, 1920. Serial No. 350,662.

type having a hub element with a free independent floating movement.

The present improvement contemplates and has for one of its objects the provision of a sensitively resilient wheel wherein a pneumatic tube and relative structures com? monly associated with such tubesare entirely eliminated without sacrificing the requisite and practical shock and vibration absorbing characteristics which should be resident in an easy riding and stress compensating durable wheel of this class.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of shock or vibration absorbing means strongly constructed and anti-frictionally coordinated in a particular manner to effect an equal distribution of the vehicle or weight load on all points of contact irrespective of position of the'same, and thereby materially reduce wear on the coacting parts and essentially add to the practicability and efliciency of the general organization of th wheel.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve cushion wheels by struc turally reducing the components in number as much as possible, and producing them in such similar contour, dimensions and proportions as to simplify and materially reduce the cost of manufacture and provide for convenience and facility in assemblage.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide a. novel formcf felly member having means for retaining a solid tread in removable association therewith; a special form of-durable cushion device having advantageous resilient features. and to so mount the said device as to render it readilydisposable in operative position and easily accessible for adjustment, repair and replacement when neceaiary, and to assemble the several parts in such manner that the outer side element of the wheel ma quickly detached from and reattached to the i i g parts 'without dismantling the entire wheel.

a brake drum 15.

With these and other objects which will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts more vfully described in the subjoined specific disclosure of the invention and embodied in the appended claims.

The present invention also embodies adevelopment and improvements of the structure disclosed by 'my Sr. No. 216,916, filed February 13,1918.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a central transverse verticalsection of a. wheel embodying the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front side elevation of a portion of the wheel shown broken away.

Figure 3 is adetail view of one of the cushion devices.

Figure 4 represents detail perspective views of a part of the hub element and the central portion of the outer body plate.

The improved wheel essentially consists of a body member composed of front and rear sheet metal plates 5 and 6; a hollow annular felly member likewise comprising front and rear sheet metal plates 7 and 8; a solid pending application tread or tire 9 held in the outer periphery of'the felly member; weight stress receivin and shock and vibration absorbing resilient cushions 10, and a bearing housing 11. The bearing housing 11 with the adjacent central portions of the plates 5 and 6, provides a hub or hub element 12 to removably fit over and turn on the usual form of axle end 13, the latter in the present showing in the drawingbeing represented as a part of a rear driving axle 14 carrying The improved wheel, however, is applicable to any form of axle and may be used both'as a driving wheel and as a forward wheel. The felly member is mounted to bodily shift or slide within the body member, and the latter member.

100 The inner periphery of the felly member is 4 has equal movement on the telly member.

10 have theogreater portions thereof solidand composed of rubber or other elastic material and cylindrical in form, the said 'cuslnons having a removable mounting in I cyindrical seats or inclosures16, both ends through and secured in such manner as to permit the outer plate tobe readily decushion seats 16 an tached, the saidbolts passing through the centers of'the cushions 10, these cushions and'the bolts being regularly spaced in circular alinement around the wheel. The plate 5 has an outwardly struck or dished central portion 19, and the corresponding portion 20 of the plate 6 is dished outwardly, and both portions 19 and 20 being flattened as shown, to accommodate the ap plication of the brake drum 15 to the portion 20, and between these central dished portions of the plates 5 and 6 the hub 12 as a unit is confined and" positively held in fixed application to resist displacement by the rotation of the axle extremity and wheel. The central dished portions 19 and 20 of the plates 5 andfi also give ample transverse distance at the center of the wheel for a practical and stron application of the hub or hearing hous ng of the wheel, and the preferred specific tion and arrangemeiit of parts of the hub construcor bearing housing will be explained more fully hereinafter. The plates 5 and 6 are also both formed with outwardly dished portions 20 at intervals therearound in cir- "cular alinement, the said latter, dished ipor-' the apertures 17 of the plates 7 and 8, the bolts 18 extending tions being directly 0 posite the ends 0 through. the centers of these dished porxtions 20 the plates 5 and 6 are tions20 tocompensate for endwise bulge or expansion of the cushions when under pressure stress and to avoid wear on the cushion ends, and also. to 'give ample clear,-'

ance for free movement of the folly member plates 7 and 8 between the body member plates 5 and 6. Between the dished porila't and snugly and movably embrace the lates 7 and 8 of the telly member. 'The olts .18 'ositively secure the plates in separable reation for the purpose of removal, adjust-- ment and replacement andsubstitution of the cushions, and mbreover, said bolts holdthe plates 5' and 6 meme "alinement and [permit 'themifto be adjusted as may be desired and found necessa relativelyto the plates 7 and 8. It will t erefore be understood that the compression of the cushions 10 I I is efi'ected throughthebolts 18 from the 7 axes ofthe cushions outwardly in radial 'directions toward the; peripheries thereof.-

The cushions are'not securedat their points Poi application 'eacent through theamediumi of the bolts 18, the peripheries of'fthesaid V i cushions removably engaging hecnin ri cal seats or {16 2w are c care-16f the weight an shocks and vibrations,

nected tothe plates 7 and 8 of the telly member. The cushions move. uniformly with the telly member against the resistance of the connecting bolts 18, there being'no the longitudinal centers of the cushions from the body plates and the telly plates. Another important service of the bolts 18 is that they constitute bearing means for the transmission and distribution of the weight of the load from the body member to the cushions "and felly member, the cushions resiliently floating the load weight or stress and easing the running of the wheel. Conversely, irregularities and inequalities in the road surface will be traversed or ridden by the improved wheel with ease and shock and vibration absorbing efi'ect through the medium of the cushions arranged as speci-v fied and the relative movement of the telly and body members, the cushions taking up and counteracting as a resistance means all strain on and preventing injury to the wheel organization. This'self protective feature of the improved wheel is rendered more certain and reliable by the floating disposition of the hub element 12, as the range of relative movement of the telly and body members will be less restricted and thereby dissipate jars-or jolts, and further, the different activev arts of' the entire structure will be cause stresses on and applied exteriorly to the wheel will be regularly distributed, from the P0111138 of greatest intensity of application by the cushions in roportion to the distances of the cushions rom the said points of application. In view of the spaced relation of the cushions it is obvious that the tractive pressure and shock and vibration affecting that part of. the tread between the successi e cushions will be taken up by the two nearestcushions and proportionately by the remaining cushions around the wheel structure; gI'n other words, thelcushions coact or have a contributin function in taking tractive stress, and

to wear more evenly; All

and there is 'neverany*r1g1d contact intermediary between the hub element 12 and the wheel tread or tire I 9. In', view ofthis'particular organization audits operation the entire-load is floated on resilient cushions or elementsfwhich ab sorb all radial torque and side thrust. shocks.

The cushions cpn ointly with the bolts 18 grovi'de a lar fvolume' ofrubber with he? cm and uniormity infresilient action, and.

iat

the wheel .to normal position when they are relieved of weight or other pressures and shocks, and thereby further induce regular or equal wear on all the wheel parts.

Aside from the generalessentlal organiza- 'tion thus far described, there are certain advantageous specific features of construction comprised in the preferred form of the wheel structure as shown. The first of these features of importance, is the cylindrical seat ormounting 16 for each cushion l0, and the cushions per se. The opposite ends of each cylindrical seat or mounting 16 are formed with circumferential grooves 21 to form abutting shoulders to bear against inner opposing sides of the plates 7 and 8 around the apertures 17 to provide snug joints and bracing means between the seats 'or mountings and the sald plates.

The ends of the seats or mountings 16 are flush with the outer surfaces of the plates 7 and 8 so that no obstruct-ion may exist at these points to the free movement of the telly and body members. The coupling bolts 18 and seats or mountings 16 serve as very rigid bracing means between the plates 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 t resist crushing or bending stresses. Each cushion 10 has a bearing journal consisting of a central tubular member 22 having four radial T-arms 23 of uniform length, the member 22 extending centrally through the cushion and terminating coincidently with theopposite endsof the cushion. The arms 23 likewise extend fully through the length of the cushion and terminate at the ends of the latter. The memher 22 and the arms 23 are formed of suitable metal and molded in the cushion. The bolts 18 are passed through the members 22, and wear directly on the rubber of the cushions is thus prevented, and furthermore, the stresses delivered to the cushions through the medium of the bolts 18 are-.more uniformly distributedover the interior body portions of the cushions. The T-arms distribute the range f active resiliency of each cushion, for the reason that the upper vertical arm of each series thereof will pull down or drag on the part of the cushion adjacent thereto, and the two horizontal 'arms will force down the'portions of the cushion adjacent to them, thereby bringing into resilient action a greater portion of each cushion than would be the case if the pull was solely from a central longitudinalplacement when under pressure and to compensate for relief and replacement of portions of the body of the cushion when under compression. The T-arms 23 also strengthen and increase the wearing durability of the cushions. I

Another advantageous means is thesupporting means for the tread or tire 9. The outer or peripheral edges of the plates 7 and 8 are formed with inturned flanges 24, and at the base of'said flanges a sheet-metal channeled inclosure 25,-of circular form is interposed between the plates -7 and 8 to serve as a base support for the tread or tire 9, the flanges 26 of said inclosure being inwardly disposed, and through the flanges 26 and the plates 7 and 8 bolts 27 are removably inserted at intervals and preferably with their nutted ends adjacent tothe plate 7, so that after the plate 5 has been detached the plate 7 may be easily detached to'remove and replace the tread or tire 9 or substitute one that is new for a worn one. The inner edges or peripheries-28 of the plates 7 and 8 are struck or bent inwardly to form right angular flanges and shoulders 29 to which the outwardly pro'ecting flanges 3O ofa circular sheet metal channeled inclosure 31 is secured by bolts 32 or analogous fastening means. The inclosures 25 and 31 provide also for a convenient" assemblage and strong construction of the folly member, and these several parts are of comparatively light welght and of ample rigidity to practically withstand the maximum stress towhich wheels of this type may be subjected without liability of distortion and fracture.

A further specific feature of importance is the assoclation of the plates 5 and 6 with the bearing housing 11 and and the practical production of the hub element 12. The centers of the outwardly dished portions 19 and 20 of the body member plates 5 and 6 -are respectively formed with openings 33 and 34 of sufficient dimensions to receive the axle extremity .13 and also to provide for the mounting of the bearing housing 11. Around the openings 33 and 34 are reversely disposed inwardly bent flanges-35 and 36 whlch are given a square 'or similar angular contour, as shown by Figure 4, and fitted and suitably secured in correspondingly. shaped seats or grooved reductions 3'7 and 38 at the outer and inner ends of the housing 11 to positively hold the latter in fixed position to serve as a reliable bearing in which the axle extremity 13 may be inserted. Between the axle extremity 13 and the adjacent wall of the housing 11, anti-frictional devices 39 are interposed to give the wheel an easy running association with said extremity. The wheel is adapted to be applied to the axle extremity in the usual manner andheld associated therewith by a specially constructed cap nut 40 to screw to'place against the fiattened surface of the outwardly bent portion omy in manufacture.

which serves as the road contact compo- 19 on the screw-threaded terminal ofsaid axle extremity; said nut having an outer convex'surface 41 of the same are as the surroundings convex surface of the said portion 19 to regularly cont me the contour of the said portion 19 without ridge, shoulderor broken joint. The said nut has two holes or sockets 41 in which a spanner or analogous tool may be inserted to provide a firm hold and purchase for applying or romoving the'same.

The outer per pheral edges and intermedi ateportions of the body-plates 5 and 6 are formed with inwardly opening corrugations 42 and 43 extending circularly over the plates to serve as pockets to receivea suitable lubricant 44 which may be of plastic or cord form and exposed toand engaging the plates 7 and 8 of the felly member'to ease the relative movement of the folly and body members and reduce the wear of the adjacent plates of the latter, and also to provide strengthening ribs for the said plates 5 and 6. V

, The several main elements of the wheel consisting of the plates 5 and 6 of the body member, and the plates 7 and 8 and enclosures and 31 of the felly member will all be shaped by suitable mechanism with econ- The felly member,

' nent of the wheel and receives the maximum tractive-weight and other stresses thereon and therein, is prevented from buckling and distortion by insertion thereof in the body member and the bracing action of-the outer and inner enclosures 25 and 31. In addition to the corrugations 42 and 43 serving as a strengthening means for .the plates' 5 and-"6, the latter are also materially reinforcedby, the outwardly dished portions '19 and-20 and 20 The bolts '18 serve as the stressreceiving andtransmitting units for all parts of the wheel to the cushions 10 carried by the felly member and may be readily withdrawn and reset or new ones substituted therefor. in an expeditious ertaining to structure and efliciency at the same time brace the plates 5 and 6 and have a subsidiary bracing action relatively to the felly member. 'Wear. on the cushions 10 willbe minimized owing to the particular mounting and confinement and enclosure thereof as hereinbefore explained.

In the event that it may be necessary to adjust or replace any of the cushions, they manner. The lubricant or lubricating means may also be easily replenished when neces- 60 sarfiy. I rom the foregoing it willbe understood that a cushion wheel is provided comply.- ing in all respects with the prime requisites wheel of this type; giving greater resistance to trafiic shock; providing for a minimum of soil adhesiondue to the plane surfaces of-the plates 5 and 6' and] and 8 respectively of the body and felly members; affording materially increased resiliency in action, which obviously, results in better service from bearings, axles, springs, and engine, and ensures longer life in general to all parts of a vehicle equipped with the same, as well as effecting a marked reduction in the cost of upkeep by obviating the commonly experienced tire troubles incident to pneumatic tubes and accessories,

In various sizes of wheels, or those respectively adapted for ordinary road and tol irlng service and for trucks, the several parts of the wheel may be varied as to dimensions and general roportions, and like- 1 wise the thickness of t e sheet metal of the components of the body and felly members may be increased as found necessary.

VVha't is claimed as new is: 1. In a wheel of the class specified, a felly member having opposite flat side plates of similar form and dimensions connected by outer and inner peripheral closures to pro member with a. central hub element and' spaced sideplates of similar dimensions to closely and partially embrace the side plates of the felly members and always close over and concealthe opposite ends of the-seats, substantially solid rubber cushions loosely and removably held in the seats and terminating within the planes of the outer sides of the side plates of the felly member, the felly and body members having a relative sliding and floating association and the cushions uniformly movable with the folly memher, and connecting devices secured solely to the side plates of the body memlber'and extending through the longitudinal centers of the cushions to apply all weight and stress strains at the centers of the cushions, to effect a distribution of the compression outwardly toward the peripheries of the cushions. '1

2. In a wheel of the class specified, a body 7 member comprising side plateshaving outer edge and intermediate. inwardly opening corrugations continuing fully therearound.

adapted to receive lubricating. material and also formedfwith central outwardly bent:

portions and intermediateoutwardly bent spaced circular portionsin circular alinem'e'nt around the antral mmdly bent POl' ion i all of the corrugations and outwardly bentportions serving as reinforcing and stiffening means for the said plates and the central outwardly bent portions also acting as inclosing spaced means, a felly member having a plurality of cushions therein terminally disposed opposite the said -outwardly bent circular portions of the side plates of the body member, and connecting bolts extending through the centers of and sustained by the said outwardly bent circular portions and through the longitudinal centers of the cushions and applying all of the weight and strain stresses to the said centers of the cushions to effect an outward distribution thereof toward the cushion peripheries.

3. In a wheel of the class specified, afelly member, a body member having a hub element, the felly member being movably mounted in the body member, a plurality of compressible cushions having the greater portions thereof solid and mounted in the felly member and each having a central tubular bearing with a plurality of radial T-arms extending therefrom and imbedded in the cushions, and connecting devices between the opposite sides of the body member and extending through the tubular bearings of the cushions, the connecting devices through the established by the weight affecting and mov-.

ing the body and felly members, throughout the cushions. 1

4. In a wheel of the class specified, a felly member, a body member having a hub element, the felly member being mounted in the body member and the two members having relative sliding association, a plurality of compressible cushions mounted in the felly member and each having a central bearing opening and a plurality of compression compensating openings around the central opening, all of the openings extending longitudinally through the cushions from end to end thereof, each cushion also having a central bearing with a plurality of radial T-arms extending therefrom andembedded in the cushion between the compression com pensating openings and connecting devices between the opposite sides of the body member and extending through the central hearing openings of the cushions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of a suibscribin Witness.

1 GEORGE E. H ARD. Witness: i

J OHN L. FLETCHER. 

